Luderick have finally come on the bite and good size ocean Luderick are the main event off Tura Headland the Merimbula Fishing Platform. Calamari Squid have slowed at the Platform and it takes patience and effort to achieve good results.

Australian Salmon are patchy everywhere including the beaches. We have been approached by a number of Tourists lamenting the lack of Australian Salmon on our beaches. What can we say? We know that the Sapphire coast is blessed with the services of the largest and most efficient Seine Trawler in NSW. This contrasts to South Australia where Seine Netting of Australian Salmon is banned as the state recognises that the value of Tourism far exceeds the return from commercial fishing.

Snapper and Morwong are in good form on our local reefs, a good depth to try is from 20 fathoms. The warm current seems to have set in and Ocean Flathead are now well and truly on the chew. Try off the Pinnacles, Tura Golf Course and Kianinny!

Fish in the Merimbula Lake are also very active. Dusky Flathead, Bream, Trevally and Whiting are available all down the lake as far as the green entrance buoy. Good Tailor are prolific at Pambula with large Bream up river. The Bega River continues to provide plentiful Dusky Flathead and continues to fish well at Mogareeka. Reports of great prawn catches have come from both Merimbula and Wallagoot Lake.

The Merimbula Big Game and Lakes Angling Club is gearing up for Gala, its annual Gala Fishing Competition and its Monster Fresh Fish Auction, scheduled to commence at 2.30 pm on Sunday 7 January 2018, in Spencer Park. Based on the generosity of local business sponsorship all fish caught in the competition are donated to the Club for the auction with the profits passed on to charity. Last year the Club was able to hand over $3,200 to the Merimbula Rural Fire Brigade and in 2018 the Rural Fire Brigade will again be recipient of all profits from the auction. Together with the Auction will be the drawing of the Club’s annual Kayak and Paddle Board Raffle with tickets available at Woolworths Tura Beach from 21 December.